Sansom, Franciscus (2 results)

No Binding. Condition: Good. Portrait of Henry Wilson. Born 1740. Died 10 May 1810 in Devonshire, England. Etching by Franciscus Sansom (fl. c. 1780), after John Russell (1745-1806), c. 1790. Good condition. Paper slightly browned and sligthly soiled. Verso: blank, with traces of former mounting. Dimensions: 100 x 76 mm. Henry Wilson was Captain, Sailor, Naval captain of the British East India Company, and Discoverer of Palau. c. 1790. Print.

Rare first state of a plate with an autograph dedication in pencil by the engraver, Sansom to an unidentified Mr. Van der Pals. In the middle of the plate an empty oval frame where the artist drew horizontal lines for helping his handwritten annotation. The arms of the seven provinces of the Republic are placed above, below a curtain. On the bottom left is the personification of the Republic on a throne. Behind her stands Mercury, the god of commerce, next to the personification of Liberty. At the feet of Liberty is a cornucopia. From the right many representatives from other continents, bring gifts to the Dutch Maid; they come from Africa, America and Asia. Behind them the personification of shipping and the personification of Europe with a scepter and a helmet with a woman on a cow. This first state does not bear the usual engraved text characterizing later states: 'Uitgegeven by J. de Leeuw.' l Engraving and pencil on paper; plate mark: 338 x 253 mm, total: 398 x 314 mm.